Guest Artist Wei Luo, piano Pianist Wei Luo was recognized by New York classical radio station WQXR as one of the 19 artists to watch in 2019. In August 2019, Wei released her self-titled debut album produced under DeccaGold, Universal Music Group. The album was featured by Gramophone online as one of the most exciting new releases. San Diego Union Tribune said: “This recording reveals a dazzling artist with an astonishing range of colors at her disposal, put to the service of a confident young soul whose musicality suggests the experience of someone two decades older.” Most recently, Wei gave a solo concert tour throughout China’s major cities and venues, including Shanghai Concert Hall, Beijing National Center of Performing Art, Guangzhou Opera House, Haerbin, Chongqing, and Guiyang, among others. Prior to the pandemic, Wei made her debut with San Diego Symphony, with Jahja Ling. In recent seasons, she has performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Quad City Symphony, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Kansas City Symphony, and Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto in G minor with the Denver Philharmonic. Wei has performed solo recitals in major cities and music festivals, including Lucerne, Switzerland, New York City (Mostly Mozart Festival, NY international keyboard festival), San Francisco Herbst Theater, Napa Valley Music Festival, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and Gilmore Keyboard Festival, among others. Her recitals have been recorded and broadcasted nationwide, including WHYY in Philadelphia, Minnesota Public Radio, Michigan WCMU, Texas Rio Grande, and North Carolina’s The Classical Station WCPE, among others. Wei received the Gilmore Young Artist Award at age 17 in 2018 and was the winner and recipient of the Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant in New York at age 16. She made her orchestra debut at age 11 with the Shanghai Philharmonic where, along with artistic director Muhai Tang, they opened the 2011 season by performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Born in Shenzhen, China, she showed great interest in music and began piano lessons at age five. She gave her debut recital in Hong Kong at age six. Winner of numerous competitions in China, Wei also claimed first prize in the 11th Chopin International Competition for Young Pianists in Poland and the 2nd Rachmaninov International Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Frankfurt, both in 2010. In 2012, at age 13, Wei was accepted to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where she studies with Gary Graffman and Robert McDonald. Wei is pursuing her bachelor’s degree at The Curtis Institute of Music.
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